The invention relates to a pop-up structure suitable as a height controlling mechanism of an armrest or the like built in the armrest in a central console box or an armrest for rear seats in a car, and in particular, to a pop-up structure wherein an elevatable member is rotatably attached to at least a pair of front and rear poles rotatably provided on a base member to constitute a link mechanism, and the elevatable member is elevated or lowered by allowing the poles to stand uprightly or collapse through rotation.
Heretofore, in a car, a central console box a, as shown in FIG. 21, has been provided between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat. Recently, an elevatable member, not shown in FIG. 21, operated by a button is provided to a covering member b of the central console box a, and an armrest e is attached to the elevatable member, so that the console box a is used as the armrest by elevating the same through the elevatable member.
In the console box used as the armrest as described above, there has been disclosed a pop-up structure for elevating or lowering the elevatable member as shown in FIGS. 22 to 24(D). More specifically, the pop-up structure is constructed such that poles c, d positioned with a predetermined space therebetween are collapsibly attached on the covering member b of the console box a as a base member; an elevatable member f, to which the armrest e is attached, is rotatably connected to upper edge portions of the poles c, d, to form a link mechanism; torsion springs h are respectively disposed between the pole c and a base portion g fixed to the covering member b, and between the pole d and the base portion g, to thereby urge both poles c, d in a standing-up direction; and a long-plate-shape locking piece i for locking the poles c, d in a collapsed state where the poles c, d collapse, as shown in FIG. 22, and locking the poles c, d in a popped-up state where the poles c, d stand straight, as shown in FIG. 23, is attached to the elevatable member f slidably in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in the drawing) and is urged forwards by a coil spring j.
In the pop-up structure, as shown in FIG. 22, in the collapsed state where both poles c, d are collapsed to be located on the covering member b against the urging forces of the torsion springs h, a forward edge formed in a hook shape of a locking projection k projected from an upper surface of the covering member b engages a locking hole m provided in the locking piece i to thereby lock both poles c, d in the collapsed state against the urging forces of the torsion springs h. At this time, the locking piece i is positioned at a forward (left side in the drawing) moving limit by the urging force of the coil spring j, and a locking projection n projecting from the forward edge of the locking piece i is inserted in a pushing-in depressed portion o with an approximately right-angle fan shape in section formed at an upper edge of the front pole c.
From this state, in case the elevatable member f is elevated to use the armrest e, a lock releasing piece s integrally extending from a forward edge of the locking piece i and projecting from a front edge of the armrest e is pushed (P1). Thereupon, as shown in FIG. 24(A), the locking piece i slides rearwards (right side in the drawing) and engagement between an edge portion of the locking hole m provided at the locking piece i and the locking projection k is released to thereby release the locking state. Thus, both poles c, d are rotated in the standing-up direction by the urging forces of the torsion springs h and the elevatable member f is elevated by the action of the link mechanism. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 24(B), since the pushing force P1 is released, a locking projection n of the locking piece i was moved to the front side (left side in the drawing) by the urging force of the coil spring j, but the locking projection n is pushed rearwards in the inner side of the pushing-in depressed portion o by a rotational movement of the pole c, and the locking piece i again slides rearwards. When the pole c is rotated to stand straight, an engaging depressed portion r formed on an inner surface of the upper edge of the pole c accords with the locking projection n; as shown in FIG. 23, the locking piece i is again moved forwards (left side in the drawing) by the urging force of the coil spring j; the locking projection n is inserted into the engaging depressed portion r to engage therewith; and both poles c, d are locked in the popped-up state where they stand straight.
Further, from the popped-up state, in case the elevatable member f is lowered to return to the collapsed state as shown in FIG. 22, the lock releasing piece s is again pushed (P2), and the locking piece i slides rearwards (right side in the drawing). Thus, the locking projection n provided at the locking piece i slips out of the engaging depressed portion r of the pole c to thereby release the locked state. Under the state, the elevatable member f is pressed downward to rotate both poles c, d rearwards while collapsing by the action of the link mechanism, and the forward edge of the locking projection k abuts against a tapered portion formed on a lower surface side of the rear edge of the locking hole m of the locking piece i which has been moved forwards (left side in the drawing) through release of the pressing force P2, as shown in FIG. 24(D). Under the state, when the elevatable member f is further lowered by pressing P3, after the locking piece i once slides rearwards by the action of the tapered portion and the locking projection k is inserted into the locking hole m, the locking piece i again slides forwards by the urging force of the coil spring j and the locking projection k engages the locking hole m to thereby lock in the collapsed state, as shown in FIG. 22.
As described above, according to the pop-up structure, the elevatable member f is automatically elevated by pushing the lock releasing piece s so that the armrest e attached to the covering member b of the central console box a can be comfortably used, and after the use, the lock releasing piece s is pressed to release the locked state and lower the elevatable member f to collapse the same.
However, in case the prior pop-up structure is used as the armrest where the elevatable member f is elevated to the popped-up state, there has been a problem that a space formed between both poles c, d in the popped-up state is seen or exposed.
More specifically, as shown by single-dotted chain lines and two-dotted chain lines in FIGS. 22 and 23, normally, the armrest e and covering member b attached to the elevatable member f are covered by covers w and x made of an interior material, such as a resin sheet and fabric. While, in the collapsed state as shown in FIG. 22, the inner pop-up mechanism is covered by the covers w and X, but in the popped-up state as shown in FIG. 23, a large space between the cover w for the armrest e attached to the raised elevatable member f and the cover x for the covering member k is formed, so that the space between both poles c, d and the inner mechanism are exposed to thereby deteriorate the appearance of the unit, and there is also a risk of catching foreign materials in the space when the armrest is collapsed by lowering the elevatable member f.
In this case, it is considered that both covers w, x are made larger so that when the armrest is collapsed, both covers overlaps each other to thereby slightly improve the situation. However, in the method, it is limited to fully cover the whole side surfaces in the popped-up state. In other words, the elevating height of the armrest e is limited, so that the armrest e may not be elevated to an extent where the armrest can be used comfortably.
In view of the above defects, the present invention has been made, and an object of the invention is to provide a pop-up structure, wherein even if the elevating height of the elevatable member is taken greatly, the space formed between the front pole and rear pole in the popped-up state can be at least partly covered to thereby improve the appearance of the armrest when it is popped up, and at the same time, possibility of catching foreign materials between the elevatable member and the base member when it is collapsed can be reduced.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.